Friedrich "Fritz" Fuchs was born in Penzlin, Mecklenburg, on December 2, 1840, the son of Adolf Friedrich "Fritz" Fuchs (February 12, 1791-c. 1868). His mother was named Juliane, but her family name is unknown. The older "Fritz" Fuchs was a half-brother of Pastor Adolf Fuchs, and he served with Luetzow's Volunteers in the Wars of Liberation against the French in 1813. In 1850 he emigrated with his family to Texas, sailing on board the ship John Frederick and arriving in Galveston on December 21. They settled in Fayette County and later in Lavaca County. Juliane died in 1851.

Theodora Hoppe was born on July 18, 1848, probably in Washington County, Texas. Her father, Heinrich Adolf Hoppe, moved the family to Burnet County, and because he refused to support the Confederate cause, he was murdered by a band of bushwhackers in 1863 near Double Horn and his body was thrown into Dead Man's Hole.

Fritz Fuchs and Theodora Hoppe were married on March 25, 1869 and settled near Cypress Mill in Blanco County. Their first child, Wilhelmina (Minna) was born the following year. In 1874 the family moved to a new home at a place called Spring Valley on the Pedernales River. They lived on the ranch there until 1908 and then moved to Hale County where they had a farm near Abernathy.

The Fritz Fuchs family gathered for a photograph in 1891: Bettie, Emil, Anna, Olga, Gini, Fritz, Jr., Julia; in doorway, Theodora holding George, Fritz, Sr. Minna, the oldest, had just married and was not present for the photograph.